Johnstone's Trade Reviews 

Johnstones perfect matt is the worst paint we’ve ever used. We’ve had our entire house professionally decorated after a refurb and it’s awful, the biggest mistake we’ve made. The finish is great, but it marks so easily and can’t be wiped or touched up.
The slightest of touches, and I mean the slightest, leaves a scuff. I’ve tried gently wiping with a cloth but that leaves visible patches, I’ve tried the magic erasers but they are no better. I’ve tried touching up with the exact same paint but it stands out a mile off.
We’ve had to re roll entire walls to get rid of marks as it’s the only way, and it’s only been a month.
We’re going to have to re decorate in a different paint as I can’t live in constant fear of a scuff appearing because a feather touched it. How they can sell this paint, and how it gets such good reviews is beyond me.

Wish I’d read these reviews before buying the paint !
Saw the colour on the chart I really wanted & was a reasonable price , but upon putting it on the wall & having to put at least 3 coats on due to it being so patchy , plus when putting the mirror up , the slightest touch & it leaves terrible marks on the paintwork :(
Will not buy again !
I have a photo but doesn’t let me upload it ?)

My goodness this paint is dreadful. How on earth this company stays in business I have no idea.
Wish I’d seen all the bad reviews first and wouldn’t have bothered buying any.
Shame I can’t include a picture to show just how bad the coverage is!

Had some paint mixed up last weekend at the Chelmsford centre. I thought wow I’ve saved a fortune, probably laughing at me for being a fool. I painted a wall and realised they’ve given me white paint and no colour mixed in it. Absolute con!! This should be illegal! Avoid.

Bought Johnstone’s emulsion as it was the exact colour I wanted when no other manufacturer had it… very poor quality. Very streaky finish... now on a 3rd coat and still no better. Never again …. Even Homebase and B&Q own brands were better than this

This proves the point that you get what you pay for. Painted a bedroom and just a terrible patchy finish. Why oh why didn’t I buy Dulux.

Shed and fence paint one coat in shaded grey. I've come on to Trust Pilot because all of the reviews are glowing on Google and I just couldn't believe there was no one else like me with the problem of an absolute rubbish product not fit for purpose. I wish I could upload pictures, because after less than 1 year the paint on my fences is all peeling off and looks awful. This was a one coat paint - ha ha, try 4 coats! Lots of fences, took days to do, and it will now have to be done again - except not with Johnstones paint. We bought from B&M, why is it, as others have suggested, you get an inferior version of product? That's outrageous as it was not that cheap! I have taken pictures intending to send to customer service as I'm supposed to have a 3 year guarantee, what a joke! But now I've read others have said, don't waste time on customer services they won't help. Disgraceful. Do not buy Johnstones fence paint.

Paint delivered in sealed box. Major leak. So now a mess to clear before I start painting!

Been using Johnstones Trade Matt white emulsion for years but current paint is rubbish. Having to go over my new kitchen again with Crown due to a horrible streaky finish that marks if you press you finger on it. The paint is so watery compared with the Crown product.

If I could give no stars I would-bought 2 tins of China Clay for our lounge-lovely colour is all I can say-its so thick and gloopy like yoghurt and as we painted the walls these little black fly type specks appeared which smudged when touched-we tried brushes,pads and rollers but it still appeared-not good coverage either-very patchy!-for a well known trade trusted make its a disgusting product-would never use this make again and have warned family and friends against it!

Bought their undercoat, which went on beautifully, but the toxic smell is overpowering. Thank god we exchanged the gloss for Dulux, or we would've ended up in hospital!! Ten days after we undercoated we are still coughing, getting headaches and experiencing chest pains!!! Even though we applied Dulux gloss ( that has no smell) over the Johnstones undercoat, the smell is still overpowering. NEVER AGAIN. I'll contact the company to alert them to the potentially dangerous fumes. UPDATE have tried contacting company, and the message keeps getting rejected. Says everything!!!

Bought the Steel Smoke quick dry gloss and wish I had not bothered.

Opened tin and paint is runny and not at all like a gloss, but thought never used their paint before so gave it a go

That's where I should have stopped, I am 5 coats in and the sanded and cleaned original white paint is still showing through.

The amount of drips on my floor is amazing, considering this is supposed to be a gloss. Never had gloss literally drip off my brush before.

Gunna give 1 more coat and if still rubbish, will use Dulux as never had issues with them.

If I could give a minus star, then in would.

Please avoid as this paint causes more work and delays projects due to time required to get the paint to cover properly.

You know its not a good paint when you have to go over a already white wall twice with white paint and still not great it is like water worst paint I have ever used. Also when doing the bathroom with same white paint took 5 coats yes 5 to go over a light grey wall and again still not great would have given no stars if I could

Johnston's Ivy Sky feature wall paint is the worst paint I have ever used! It is a deep, velvety, dark green matt paint which sounds lovely and looks beautiful in the Johnston leaflet. However, after 3 coats on my bedroom wall, I was appalled at how every finger mark showed like a white chalk mark. I tried a 4th coat and yet more marks appeared as I was putting back my headboard and picture frame because the side of my hand touched the wall! I give up! I'll have to swap to another brand for a 5th top coat.

i use China Clay (used this colour for years - in the flat that we rent out) its a beautiful warm beige/grey - i had it mixed at my local store - so beautiful and it went on fantastic, i paint whole flat everytime the tenant moves out - and since they changed the formula the paint went on like a dream! one coat to refresh - did the job.

I have used johnston's paints many times but I've always used different colors this time I wanted pure brilliant white I will never buy it again don't try to go over it twice with a roller because it will take the paint off I've had a nightmare with it decided now to use it as an undercoat let that dry and then by a different brand avoid at all cost such a shame

I bought 5 litres of soft sheen paint for my hall.
The decorator put 2 coats on but it dried streaky.
He came back to do another job but had to put another coat on the hall it later had a fourth coat and a fifth coat on one wall.
Looked at it this morning and it's worse.Surely paint only has to do one job and that's to cover the wall.
I only chose Johnstone's because of the colour. I shall now have to go back to Dulux and have my decorator back for a third time.
This has been very costly.
I really wish I'd read the reviews first.

Omg worst paint I've ever used.
Bought 2 large tins of matt grey paint. Turned out to be much darker than advertised on the label. Well the first tin ended up been silk even though it said matt on the label. Second was matt. It looked a right mess when I went over the 1st coat with the second one. This paint is dreadful. Ypu can see whete youve been with the roller. Will never buy again. The brilliant white gloss was cream aswell not white. Avoid!! Stick to delux

Bought & used recently a 2.5 litre tin of Bathroom soft sheen paint. It went on pretty well & coverage fairly good . The only point I wanted to mention it still smells like a dump of dog poop has been left in the bathroom even after three days . I guess it the drying of the product, hopefully it will ware off soon as I have had leave the fan 🪭 on constantly…

Bought Johnstone kitchen paint and I can honestly say it’s the worst paint I’ve ever used. It was very patchy and took 3 coats and it’s still patchy but I gave up. I was covering a lighter shade of grey with a slightly darker shade so should have been easy - no!